These Adamantine Gates
by PrinceoftheBendedPaw
Summary: (Ch. 97 Spoilers! One-shot!) Yukio is currently amidst the darkest moment of his life within his mind. He has officially joined the Illuminati and betrayed everyone on behalf of some troubling information. Where he thinks only gloom can encompass him, a ray of light in the form of a certain angel pays visit as a spiritual counselor.


AN: Yikes this story was difficult to write. It's not my best structure-wise, but I think I hit a few points in relation to dialogue. That may also be considering this is the first story I have ever completed while sitting hunched over a computer late at night. I realize I also may have made the system of the Illuminati a little more militaristic than it may actually be. And to those who may be wondering the title of this story comes from a line in the story Paradise Lost by John Milton. So without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

ad·a·man·tine

ˌadəˈmanˌtēn,ˌadəˈmanˌtīn/

 _adjective_

unbreakable.

* * *

Things were in a buzz around the facility with the clacking of feet shuffling around, the hum of voices, and the ruffle of lab coats that flapped against pacing legs. The people in the white suits who held varying degrees of documents stepped aside to make way for two important individuals that leisurely paced down the aisle. One of them had a head of pink that deeply contrasted against the dark atmosphere of the abode and bore the standard Illuminati uniform that was only gifted to high ranking officials. The other could clearly be marked as an enemy by the True Cross coat that rested upon his being, but seeing as he was a clear guest, he was to remain untouched. It would have been easy to incapacitate him if he were to have malevolent intentions while within the building of the organization, seeing as how a handkerchief covered one of his eyes as well as a sling around his shoulder that held a cast. This now former exorcist in question surveyed the scene around him, imbibing every detail as a set of doorways with slats that served as airways and metal plates came in into view that bore the emblem of the Illuminati Organization which consisted of red and white interlocking crossed arrows.

"And this is where you'll be staying for the night," Shima informed as he turned down a corner to fumble with one of the knobs that lay against the oaken mechanisms. He took out a key and swung it open to reveal a simple room not too different from the dorms at True Cross Academy. It had the same amenities of a blanketed bed, small desk, a standard lamp, and a two-paneled closet with sliding doors….but not a single window in sight. It was more of a furnished mental patient's cell than anything. It ironically almost suited the circumstances.

Yukio took in the atmosphere that he was now to call his temporary home, teal orbs darting about at a rapid rate. This would be his new quarters. There was no way of leaving for he had already gone in too deep from the waist up. He was now drowning in the black lagoon of his treachery. Yukio released a held back sigh and sat upon the dusty bed which gave a faint creak under the pressure of his weight.

Shima cracked a grin. "Welp I've got some duties to get back to, so I'll just leave ya here to adjust. Don't miss me too much, Teach." He swung his kriik back on his shoulder and made a mock salute with two fingers.

The prostrate boy only rolled his eyes at the offhand comment. He expressed a sarcastic 'sure' and positioned himself towards the nearest wall.

The equally sardonic filled ego of the other allowed him to merely shrug off the obvious discomfort of his guest. "Oh, and one more thing." He stepped aside to allow another person to enter the oppressive room.

Turning his head a full one eighty due to the inconvenience of his concealed eye, Yukio saw that a man wearing a guard uniform and hat of the Illuminati had entered the room. A few strands of graying jet-black haired peaked out from the brim around his forehead and he held a steady gaze of hazel eyes. This stranger appeared to be in his early to mid-thirties due to the slight creases that fell under his eyes. He gave a quick nod of greeting and kept his gloved hands steadfast at his sides. He also made the action of enacting a swift salute which was indeed far more serious than Shima's had been.

"This guy right here is Nagase Yasotaro. He usually works guarding the outskirts of the plaza, but for now he's been assigned to station outside your room. Now don't take this the wrong way, the organization is only doing this for precaution. I mean, take me for example." He paused to dramatically gesture to his entire being. "I'm a double agent so I've always got surveillance on my head." Shima chuckled but it only made Yukio furrow his single visible brow even more. "See ya." He promptly turned heel and left the room along with Yasotaro who took to standing outside beside the doorway.

As the door fell shut, the only light that remained in the room was the lamp and the thin beams that streamed through the aforementioned slats on the doorway. The lump of material referred to as pillows appeared inviting as to ease all his distress, giving him the chance of sleep for the first time in a while. But the problem was that he couldn't sleep. Not with all numerous thoughts that floated around head and threatened to suffocate him. He could admit to the pain being lessened after the confrontation with the Demon King of Light, Lucifer. The sickly leader had been very vague in his answers to his despondent filled questions and requests. He demanded for power, but even while within reach of it, he still had to wait. Only he couldn't bear this burden of being trapped within a waiting game any longer for it was tearing him apart.

There was an imminent sense of danger at all these introspections that screamed within his fatigued mind. Even now, he could feel a steady pounding that reverberated in his ears and the familiar twinge of light in his damaged eye. It was consuming him. A small groan of pain escaped past his lips as he struggled to beat down the oncoming surge in his isolation. He suddenly became alert for fear of attracting the attention of the guard outside. Yukio didn't want anyone to see him like this. He was doing so well putting on a placid face that he couldn't let it break now. The earlier scene between himself and his brother was a complete joke. Who did Rin think he was? It should have been clear as day for a long while now that he was going to seek a different path of his own that strayed away from all the others as soon as he planted that bullet in Sir Pheles's skull. That demon had refused to give him what he wanted, so why stay with all those fools who only added sustenance to his growing crisis?! A part of Satan was within him just like his brother which became obvious due to all his personal experiences. But to have the Demon King of Gehenna write him off while speaking through him had been deprecating. He still swore that he would make it out of the Illuminati alive and have complete master over the power that he rightfully deserved. All those previous moments where he felt helpless could disappear… even the one now. All of this was a part of his ultimatum.

That now veered his mind to the other topic regarding Shiro. Just thinking of the former paladin's name was enough to make him seethe. The fact that he had been a subject born from the atrocities that True Cross had created to engage in exorcism disturbed him. It had become apparent to him from that fact alone that Shiro Fujimoto must not have had the capacity to truly care for others as he claimed to have. How could he with all the combatic style morale and rules that had been drilled into his head ever since the day he learned to walk? The paladin had even dared to raise Yukio with the same thought conditions. He had been allowed to exist as only the tool for another tool which equaled to very little worth in the long run. This was all that was understood and nothing else could be derived.

Yukio's downcast head felt heavy as a lone tear trailed along his pallid cheek and fell upon the sheets. He tried massaging his temples in slow circles as an effort to calm himself. The method wasn't working. Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice shattered the torturous echoes of his thoughts with a simple greeting.

"Are you doing alright in there?" the voice questioned.

His head snapped upwards to view a shadow peeking through the slats of the door. It was only the guard. A gloved hand had lifted one of the metal hinges to get a better look at his person as well as a clear response.

The boy brushed a palm against his cheek and avoided eye contact. "Yes, I'm fine."

The guard, Yasotaro, relinquished a formal nod of approval before stepping aside to his former position. A small sliver of his shadow still lingered along the stone floor among the square of light upon the floor. To both Yukio's bewilderment and irritation, the adult man decided to engage in a bit of small talk and reopened the slats. "So what exactly brings you here to the Illuminati organization anyway?"

In order to provide the signal in his desire for avoidance of such things, Yukio fixedly retorted, "I'm sure such information has already been spread about the building."

Unfortunately, such efforts were ignored. "I don't exactly work inside the building on account of how I'm just a security guard. So, I wouldn't have a clue as to your circumstances."

Yukio scowled. "Since when is it any of your business to begin with?"

He shrugged. "Just thought it would be a good idea to get to know the person I'm looking after a little is all."

"Sorry to inform you, but the feeling is not mutual."

The tall man once again was immune to the biting remarks of the young exorcist, only this time he had heeded his request. The slats were once again shut and the gloved hand angled them back in such a way that hardly any rays of light could be seen. His shadow had also moved completely out of sight to where Yukio assumed was directly beside the door.

He was left alone once again with his thoughts. Apparently with Yasotaro's discourse, it had managed to dam them all away to recesses where they could no longer bother him. Now they had just come flooding back out. The guard's question certainly hadn't helped as it stimulated the crushing loss of a clear path to the future. Purpose… power… parentage… the alliteration that was clouding his frozen mind. It was almost funny how the partial flames that apparently resided within his eye felt so cold. He absent mindedly scratched at the cast on his arm with his remaining functional hand.

On second thought… maybe it wasn't so bad having some small talk with the man outside the door that guarded his room? The words that reached this low-ranked man's ears were unlikely to depart anywhere else, unwanted or not. And aside from the brief moment, he had yet to make any final opinions of this stranger.

He readied himself by taking in a deep breath. He just knew he was going to regret this which made it the first of his entire chaotic day.

"The reason why I'm here is to learn about myself, my eyes, the secret of my birth, and obtain the power from these truths. Only Lucifer can give these answers to me."

A bolt of sudden movement reopened the slats with a squeak and the shadow of Yasotaro came into view once again along with the edges of his gloves. Yukio was unable to see the expression of the guard, but it must have been a positive one on account of his mirthful tone. "Hrm? Aha! So you do know how to socialize! It's not much entertainment to attend to a recluse."

Instant regret. Yukio's former scowl returned to his features once more.

"Nah I'm just kidding with ya. Mind if I come in? It feels a bit awkward having to speak through these metal hinges."

His features came to relax a little. "Sure… but doesn't that defeat the purpose of having to guard me if you're not able to view all activity from the outside?"

Yasotaro merely waved a hand away. "What are you, my prisoner? I was assigned to guard you for the main purpose of protection. You know, a lot of people have their own varying agendas here in regards to you, Yukio Okumura." Promptly, the door swung open and the guard made his way inside. He sat on a padded chair that was placed beside the small desk which was across from Yukio and his bed. The legs began to screech across the floor as he positioned it to face the young boy.

His visage now irked Yukio as somewhat odd. Upon first glance, the man who had been the unflinching member of the Illuminati had now a subtle charm with the gentle smile that played at the corners of his mouth. This was unlike any smile he occasionally came into contact with. It wasn't like the smile of his brother who only displayed such actions to make up for his unappealing idiocy, or to mask the fear or pain that came upon him. Nor was it like the smile of Mephisto who did so to deceive those around him or express his sadistic pleasure depending on the mood. It also didn't even compare to those of the True Cross Order to mask their distrust. This was a true, genuine smile that rang out with the most honest of compassion. His smile was just like….no….. There was no certainty that _that_ man's smile had been actual either. What was Yasotaro's aim then?

"Yes I'm aware... Wait a minute; I don't recall giving out my name."

"Relax kid; everyone here knows who you are. Kinda hard to avoid being so well known when you're the son of Satan."

"I suppose." He rested a fingertip against his temple. "But if you knew such things already, then I can infer that you already knew my reason being here in the first place."

Yasotaro gave a whistle. "Looks like I've been caught. Someone sure has quite the gears turning in their head. I can't even imagine what mental pain you must be going through."

Yukio ignored the pity thrown against him to snap, "Then why did you even bother asking me? What do you want from me?!"

The demeanor of Yasotaro transformed back into one of steady calmness. "Hey hey hey, I told ya you need to relax. Take a few deep breaths. I may be your guard, but I'm also here to help. Not as a member of the Illuminati, but as one to confide in who wills for your safety." He rested his long fingers against the arms of the chair.

The perplexity of the stranger's comments only lengthened more. Why? Why was he doing this? And why was he so willing to place his trust in him? This complete stranger who called himself Yasotaro! He was working his way into his hardened mind with barely any effort and it made him anxious. His fight or flight stimulus began to go haywire. He threaded both his hands through his hair as he shifted uncomfortably on his bed. What to do, what to do, he couldn't break now. "Yasotaro, why-"

Any action or thought he might have made then was stifled by the gentle hand that rested upon his shoulder. It was a warm touch that held no ulterior intent other than to comfort. It seemed almost as though the touch was from one pure, holy composition. "Yukio, please trust me, I beg of you." Yukio looked deep within the pools of Yasotaro's eyes and saw a new expression. Wistful melancholy. His voice had also changed to soothing melodic tones. There was one more thing that had changed which might've been a trick of Yukio's remaining eye. The color of the man's orbs had become from a deep hazel to a swirl of both green, brown, and some other indistinguishable shade.

And beyond his control only to a necessary urge, Yukio gave way to listen to him. He took an intermittent period of time to fully relax himself with deep breaths followed by exhalations as Yasotaro had suggested.

The guard himself sat back in his chair while waiting patiently until the young boy was back to a better state. When he was still and relaxed, he asked, "Better?"

The young exorcist gave a slow nod, still unsure of himself. "Yes actually," he replied.

"Good, that's good! I was wondering maybe if you'd be willing to lay your problems on me. I assure you I'm doing this for no benefit of my own but for yours." He made a cross over his heart and held up his palm to emphasize the validity of his statement.

"So what are you now, my guidance counselor?"

He gave a hearty chuckle. "In a way. I prefer the term, 'guardian angel'."

Yukio rolled his eyes. Yasotaro may be a bit odd, yet there was something undeniably righteous about him that he couldn't release himself from. It was something far honest than the allure of demons. "Alright, let's get this over with."

Yasotaro relaxed himself comfortably against the back of his chair. He placed an elbow upon one of the arms of the chair and rested his head against his fist. His mouth became a thin line as he presented the opening question, "What troubles you the most right now in this current period?"

The boy took a moment to travel back into the reaches of his rampant mind, searching for which topic held the most weight. He closed his visible eye to focus. The mantra returned once again- Purpose...power...parentage…..purpose….power...parentage…..purpose...power...parentage…..purpose...power...parentage…..purpose...power….parentage…..purpose...power-

Purpose.

Yukio's eye reopened to present the imperturbable Yasotaro with his answer. "What troubles me most is my identity and reason for being allowed here on this earth."

The guard turned counselor gave a slow nod as he formulated a coherent and senseful response to his dilemma. "You are an intelligent boy who was able to soar quickly to the ranks of exorcist with his skill, a teacher of equally dedicated students, a younger brother of Rin Okumura, a person who's loved by everyone, one who tries his best every day to overcome his obstacles and always achieves in the end, as well as a son of Satan. You are allowed on this earth because every being has a right to exist regardless of heritage. What more is there to say?"

Any hope that might've existed within Yukio for an astonishing answer began to fade like a candle flame. This wasn't what he wanted to hear. "No. Half of what you said isn't even true. I am an individual who has only made it so far because I was raised under conditions that are not normal or suitable for any sound child. The strength that I apparently give off is only a mask to my weakness. There is nothing real that's pleasant about me! No one loves my real self as I've been only showing off a false identity. And the only reason why I'm still living is because that two-face himself, Shiro Fujimoto, let me and my brother live as tools for the order! If they had found a single bit of fault in terms of usefulness I would have already been dead by now!" he vociferated.

"No, now you're wrong-"

"How would you even know?! That man never even told me anything to begin with that was of importance! He was always avoiding my damn questions. Maybe if he had just taken the time to tell me about my heritage in the first place and the possibility that I might also have power like my brother, this would have never happened! So what the hell do you know!?"

A hand lightly stuck across his face, not enough to inflict damage, but enough to shock him. Yasotaro bore an unreadable expression as he sat down in his chair. "Do you even remember why you decided to become an exorcist in the first place? You didn't have to be, but you were given the choice. A choice, goddamnit. No one was raising you to be a tool, Yukio. If that was the case then there wouldn't even be the option of a choice now would there? It was all on account of your fear and desire to become stronger that you allowed yourself to face the horrors of an invisible world that the majority of society was unaware of. Yes, it was terrible as to be expected, but you signed yourself up to become involved. You cannot also blame your brother of being unaware. If he was to be raised a tool, why keep him oblivious at all? You may argue that it was to keep the human aspect of him intact, but why keep him not knowing throughout to his teenage years then? I think Shiro only kept certain things under lock and key to protect you while you are still a hormonal teenager then to reveal it all while you're an adult. Unfortunately it seems things weren't able to turn out that way due to unforeseen circumstances…" The man gave let out a heavy sigh after the long speech.

Yukio was silent. There was no way he could say anything after all that. The points that Yasotaro brought up all had varying degree of reason. It was unusual how much this man seemed to know but he would receive every bit of information he could for all it was worth. "Then why… why did he leave me to feel so alone and isolated all the time? And what about asking Shura to teach Rin how to use his sword?"

The line of Yasotaro's face appeared to become tighter. "Kid, now you're treating me like I'm some kinda completely omniscient being. And it's honestly tiresome. So again, these are mostly _assumptions_."

Yukio gave a small grimace. He didn't believe that statement was necessary.

"Okay then. I don't think he purposely meant to leave you all alone but believed you were strong enough to handle the things that were being thrown at you. I don't suppose you ever bothered to actually ask Shiro if you could remove yourself from the life of exorcism; seeing by the way you're acting it's too much for you. Where did this seed of doubt in your head even come from? Who put it there? When did you even begin to present such questions to yourself?"

Another thought invoking series of questions, this time however not as rhetorical. "The first time I think I recall questioning myself this much was around the time I traveled with my students to Kyoto. That's where I encountered the man by the name of Saburota Todo."

"Todo… ah yes that's right. He's one of the members here in the Illuminati. It's no wonder that you've ended up where you are now. It appears he decided to incur such thoughts on you to only believe that place where you'll find all the answers is here in this blasted organization," he said.

"Well he turned out to be very correct in my opinion with a majority of his speculations. I don't think it's quite such a bad thing that I'm here now due to how True Cross is just as corrupt as the Illuminati." Yukio then pointed out the slight irony in his assertion. "But if you're a member of this organization, what reason do you have to agree that it's awful?"

"Just because I happen to wear a uniform doesn't necessarily mean I agree with their cause." The nonsensical statement puzzled Yukio. Yet he still continued. "Now it may be a fact that both are in some pretty bad places, however with True Cross they no longer conduct their horrific experiments and have abandoned it completely. Now tell me, which one is worse?"

Yukio was still unable to deny the information he had seen from the jump drive that Lightning had provided him with. And then there were the horrors that had been unveiled at the town of Inari. "I still don't know," he replied.

Yasotaro moved on to the previous question. "And the words 'turning Rin into a weapon' doesn't sound right to me. Shiro must've asked Shura to train Rin for incase anything happened to him. Like let's say a case where sudden death happens and your brother has little control over his fate. Is it really so bad that he's given a chance to protect people just as he's always wanted to do?"

"With that logic, you're implying that Shiro had already come up with a hypothetical as to the events that really did happen after his death. As intelligent as he might've been he couldn't have been able to plan ahead for something as sudden-"

"Who's to say that he didn't?" Yasotaro interjected. "Yukio we're getting off track here. The reason why I've decided to assist you isn't for your brother; I'm doing all this for you alone. Since the moment I've walked into this room I could feel all the overwhelming pain that you're holding deep inside yourself. I'm surprised you've been able to appear so well put together for so long. But we both know that's not the case."

The boy in question re-established his firm gaze. This man who had seemingly come from nowhere had already posed enough perplexity within his mind that the only option to resort to was keeping an open mind.

"You claim to have abandoned everything. But the people in your life who are most important have not abandoned you. Neither are you evil; just misguided. You seem to think that it's unusual to have suddenly gone off the edge into despair where selfishness consumes you. It is very selfish in itself to think that you are on your own. There are people who love you, Yukio, even if you don't want their help and they're unable to understand. Shutting them out isn't going to solve anything and will only expand this perceived darkness in your heart."

Yasotaro got up from his chair at the desk and crouched in front of Yukio. For some reason the scene felt familiar in some fashion to the boy. He had also taken note of another gradual change that had occurred in the guard's voice and facial features. A new set of wrinkles graced the corners of his face and the pitch of his voice had changed to a recognizable baritone.

"I know I can't necessarily change your mind, but I know I can advise you as I've been doing. I want to believe that this is just a volume of your life where major mistakes will be made and you'll learn from them. Yukio you've been through so much and deserve salvation. I want it to be possible that you, a son of Satan, can earn the opportunity to pass through heaven by breaking through these adamantine gates of your burdens. I know you are a good person and I'll be damned if anyone says otherwise."

The man gave a smile that again spiked a sense of Deja vu. It was only when Yukio really looked upon his eyes that everything became apparent. The color of hazel or some other mixture was nowhere in sight.

Only a mahogany red.

"Dad…"

As Shiro Fujimoto stood up, the rest of his disguise slipped away like a sheet. A glowing aura encompassed his being that radiated a sort of divinity. He was still dressed in the same priest's robes that he had been buried in along with his spectacles. There was also a faint translucence which was proven by the varying rays of light that cast through his presence.

"Hey there kiddo, you're gonna pull through, alright? I've gotta take my leave. I love you son and I really do mean it. You've always been a smart kid with that big ol' brain of yours."

Yukio had become suspended in place. He wasn't able to formulate any words for a response. A trickle of tears escaped his dry eye.

The angelic man glided across the stone floor and lifted the handle of the doorway. He stopped to take one last look at his son.

"Goodbye Yukio…"

Shiro slipped around the doorway to move down the corridor. The last thing that was seen of him was his comforting smile before the door swung shut.

Finally breaking out of his stupor, Yukio desperately grabbed the handle of the door to swing it back open with his remaining hand. He bolted into the hallway and frantically looked about. The angel of Shiro was gone.

The boy slightly quivered as he retreated back onto the bed in his room.

This was a lesson he would never forget.

As Yukio hunched over on himself, he let out all the tears he had been unable to shed for a long while.

* * *

Extra Scene:

"And these are all the documents you are expected to transfer safely tonight," Homare Todo said as she piled a hefty load of manila folders into Renzo Shima arms which elicited a small grunt. He slightly faltered under the surprising weight yet managed to hold strong. To completely give under the pressure would only be unassuming of him.

"Yes ma'am!" he all too eagerly replied. With a kick of his knee, the pinkette rebalanced the stack into place and slowly shifted about as he began to totter.

The woman rolled her eyes at his foolishness and left him to his own devices to take care of her own work.

Shima began making careful strides towards a nearby table. He slowly put one boot in front of the other. The table was hard to view from around the stack so he switched to doing a sidestep which was almost similar to that of a tango. Oh, how he sometimes imagined himself taking action in such extravagant dances with the lovely Izumo! He could even picture it now, he in a finely cut tuxedo and she in a dress with a V-neck that cut down just enough to reveal a bit of cleavage. As is tradition he would hold a freshly pruned rose in his mouth and glide back and forth down the aisle of the dance floor. He would dip her backwards and then swoop in for a…

Any thoughts that may have proceeded were cut off by person that bumped into him. A portion of the stack fell from his arms in turn and an array of manila folders became scattered all across the floor. The unfortunate incident made Shima groan, "Aw man, now I'm gonna have to clean all this up."

"Oh! My deepest apologies! I didn't mean to stumble into you! Let me help," the person answered. They neatly gathered a good portion of the folders and held it out to him.

"Thank you-" Shima cut himself off as he realized the identity of this individual. "Aren't you supposed to be guarding Yukio Okumura right now?"

The man who had bumped into him was Nagase Yasotaro; guard uniform, hazel eyes, solid jet black hair and all. He blinked owlishly in regards to the question. "Well yes. That's why I came to you. You're supposed to lead me to his quarters." He then began to break into a nervous sweat. "I apologize for not arriving sooner, sir!" Yasotaro finished off his final word with a steady salute and click of his heels. Any anxiety that may have plagued the man before had been covered up with a firm gaze that signified his readiness to attention.

Shima raised an eyebrow. This guy had to be pranking him or something. Earlier the guy had just appeared down the hallway as he lead Yukio into his room and everything had been settled from there. Surely he hadn't been mistaken. "Really? I could've sworn I already lead you there. Are you sure about that?"

Now it was the guard's turn to be confused. "Yes sir, I was just finishing the last of my rounds outside the structure. I have not been anywhere else before then."

He still wasn't satisfied with his answer. "Are you sure?"

"Yes sir."

"Are you really sure?"

"Yes sir."

"Are you really _really_ sure?"

"Yes sir."

"Are you really really really sure?"

"Yes sir. I recommend that we head over now and refrain from wasting time."

Shima did a once over of the guard that stood before him. Nothing probable could be said as to a suspicious or unusual factor. He was just any normal, low-ranking guard that oftentimes got stuck outside in the cold of night. "Alright then. Let's go." He concluded that it was probable from fatigue that he imagined already sending in Yasotaro. He shrugged it off and led the man off to the quarters. Besides, what could've happened anyway?


End file.
